


Secrets

by BrighterthanViolet



Series: PJO drabbles [15]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, also kinda percabeth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-16
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 14:52:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1473820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrighterthanViolet/pseuds/BrighterthanViolet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Secrets get in the way so Leo tries to get them out of his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secrets

"Alright, Sunshine, spill."  
  
Nico glared sullenly up at Leo. As if he was going to tell him!  
  
"Look, it's obvious you have secrets, and that's fine, but you looked really upset earlier. It's not like I want to hurt you, I want to _help_ , dammit, but you never let me."  
  
There was almost a quaver in Leo's voice, and Nico had to look down at his feet. He didn't want to hurt Leo, but his secrets weren't good at all, and he thought that his friend- because they _were_ friends, even if it had taken them two and a half years after the second giant war- would be better off not knowing.  
  
" _Please_ , Nico, just let me help you," Leo whispered, and when Nico glanced up he couldn't see any hints of deception in the heavy gaze.  
  
"Alright," he said quietly, throat tight. "But you're not going to like any of it."  
  
"Try me," Leo challenged, but gently, and Nico was suddenly struck with a tsunami of emotion he didn't completely understand.  
  
"I was in love with Percy for the longest time," he began, then his words flowed faster and faster, much faster than he could know what it was exactly that he was saying. "From way back when I first met him, but I didn't really get it, and then I _hated him_ , hated him because he was so perfect but he couldn't save my sister and despite that I _still_ loved him and that hurt too much, and besides, even when I was ten I knew he loved Annabeth." His voice was bitter when he said her name.  
  
"And then I stopped loving him, one day, after the second giant war. I didn't know how, but I was _happy_. And then I realised _other_ things, because yes, I loved him, but I was never _sexually attracted_ to him, so I asked Rachel. She seemed to know what was up, understood it 'cause she was like that, too. I thought I could deal with it, liking guys but not wanting sex, but then I realised _why_ I stopped loving Percy, and- and-"  
  
He broke off, tears streaming down his face, and he turned away from Leo, away from comforting arms. Leo was confused, trying to process the information dump, but he still tried to reach out, place a hand on Nico's shoulder, even though Nico was having none of it.  
  
He almost didn't hear the broken, whispered words that came next.  
  
"...Why did you have to make me love you?"  
  
Leo's muscles locked in place as he stared at the other demigod in shock. He tried to pick the most important points and put them in a mental memo, like that would help him process it. Nico liked guys, but not sex; kind of important. Nico had been in love with Percy; not important right now. Nico loved him; his brain short-circuited, almost, unsure about that. Someone loved him romantically? What?  
  
Nico seemed to take the silence as rejection, heaving a great sob and shadow travelling away. Leo just stared at the ground where Nico had been.  
  
He wasn't sure how long he just stared before Jason entered the scene.  
  
"He told you?"  
  
Leo managed a dazed nod, absently noticing that he was on his knees. He didn't remember falling.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
Leo said nothing, and that was all Jason needed.  
  
"You idiot!" he growled, and somehow that prompted Leo into movement, burying his face in his hands, because he had had an opportunity to mention his own feelings, but he had frozen up.  
  
"I know." His voice sounded more dead than alive, and Jason sighed, because his friends were just plain idiots. "Trust me, I know."  
  
*  
  
Thankfully for Jason, Hazel was visiting, and willing to help with his plan, so when Jason dragged Leo to the Zeus cabin, Nico was already there. It was the best they could do, really, since the Poseidon cabin was a no-go zone unless you wanted to walk in on Percy and Annabeth, and the Hades cabin was further away.  
  
Jason shoved Leo in and locked the door. "Talk it out!"  
  
Leo looked up at Nico, and his insides burned. Nico looked a wreck. He tried to say something, but all that came out was a garbled assortment of vowels. He tried again, but the result was the same.  
  
Nico didn't even look at him, just turned away, and somehow that made Leo more determined. He grabbed Nico's shoulders and whispered, "Look at me, please."  
  
Nico did, hurt and resignation and fear and a hundred other things in plain view on his face.  
  
Leo wanted to tell him everything, too, but he didn't know how to say it all, so he kissed him, lightly but trying to convey his regret and apology and love and sadness and a million other things, a kaleidoscope of emotion.  
  
And Nico kissed back, understanding, and in that moment everything was perfect.


End file.
